Hampton Roads Organizer

Chesapeake Climate Action Network seeks a passionate community organizer dedicated to uplifting community leaders in the Hampton Roads area to take on the climate crisis.

The Hampton Roads Organizer will recruit, train, and mobilize CCAN supporters to fight the climate crisis through advocacy, community education, and local events. Working in coalition with our regional partners, the Organizer will lead the field tactics in our campaign to stop the build out of fossil fuel infrastructure, empower communities to mitigate the local effects of climate change, and advocate for clean energy.

About Us

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is the only group in the Chesapeake region of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. dedicated exclusively to building a powerful grassroots movement to fight climate change. We envision an equitable energy future where truly clean power sources — efficiency, solar, and wind — sustain every aspect of our lives, and fossil fuels are phased out.

In Virginia, we are working on bold campaigns that would result in energy policies matching the scale of the climate crisis. Our work has never been more critical as we face stalls and rollbacks at the state and national levels. For over a decade, we have been pushing the envelope of what’s “politically possible” in Virginia, using every tool inside and outside the box - from organizing to lobbying to the law. We are weakening one of the nation’s most powerful polluters, standing in the way of two fracked gas pipelines, and we led the charge toward the first 100% clean electricity mandate in the south.

About the Position

The Hampton Roads Organizer will have the skills, passion, and commitment to tackle the biggest problems facing our planet in a region particularly vulnerable to its impacts. We seek a resilient, creative, and strategic problem-solver to join our team. The ideal candidate will see opportunities to build relationships, inspire mobilization, and urge faster and more equitable change to address the climate crisis. They are energized by empowering others and look to put their creativity to work.

This position is full-time, salaried, and exempt from overtime.

What You Will Do

Build, strengthen, and mobilize CCAN’s base of grassroots supporters and members

• Build relationships with new and existing supporters and inspire them to take action.
• Recruit, train, and support volunteers to build their leadership skills and form active volunteer teams.
• Identify new activists through outreach and community events.

Build and deepen partnerships and coalitions

• Work closely with existing supporters, community partners, and coalition leaders throughout Hampton Roads and Southern Virginia.
• Facilitate or participate in field coalitions, ensuring effective communication and coordination with local partners.

Manage and execute campaign strategy and actions in the region

• Engage CCAN supporters in creative, attention-grabbing events to mobilize our base and influence Virginia’s decision-makers.
• Coordinate with our policy and communication teams to ensure our events are on-message and effective.
• Occasionally help support and execute field tactics for electoral campaigns.

Qualifications

• Commitment to the mission of fighting climate change and promoting environmental justice.
• Demonstrated experience living or working in BIPOC communities and organizing across differences in identities and experiences.
• At least one year of paid or volunteer organizing experience.
• Familiarity with the communities and political landscape of the Hampton Roads region.
• Self-driven and able to work effectively with a team.
• Able to manage multiple projects and prioritize measurable results.
• Track record of successfully recruiting people to an event, cause, or effort.
• Experience setting measurable goals and tracking progress.
• Problem-solver: someone who thinks of solutions more than barriers.
• Willing to work evenings and weekends as needed.
• A driver’s license and reliable access to personal transportation and willing to travel within the region as needed. CCAN reimburses employees for use of their personal vehicles for work purposes.

The Details

This role involves frequent travel within the Hampton Roads region and periodic travel within CCAN’s broader region of Virginia, Maryland, and DC. Candidates should live in or be willing to relocate to the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area. CCAN provides dedicated office space for the Hampton Roads Organizer in Norfolk. We operate on a hybrid schedule, working in the office at least two days per week and from home the rest of the week.

The salary is commensurate with experience, within a range of $55,000 and $60,000 per year for entry-level employees. Salaries at CCAN are determined by relevant experience and skills and competencies demonstrated by the successful applicant. We encourage applications from candidates with more than one year of experience and will discuss appropriate compensation during the interview process.

We offer a generous benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance, four weeks’ paid vacation, and a retirement plan with a 4% employer matching contribution after one year on staff.

How to Apply:

Please complete the Google form application, where you will answer a series of short questions and submit a resume. We will accept applications until the position is filled, with priority given to applications received by Friday, August 1, 2025.

The interview process will consist of a phone interview, a panel interview over Zoom, and a skills test. We hope to make a job offer by August 29, 2025.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace; therefore, if you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply! You might be the perfect candidate for this or another role at CCAN.

Equal Employment Opportunity CCAN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.